Old Maytag finally gave up the ghost so I went and purchased a shiny new HE GE washing machine for my wife. The wife was very happy. I installed new shiny mahine and gave wife a new bottle of HE detergent and said "Merry Christmas" Wife did not think that was funny and now not as happy. Wife ran a load and called me and said " there is water shooting out of the pipe thing behind the washer I asked her to please turn off the washer. Wife is now very unhappy.
I was scouting here yaesterday and I believe my problem might be that the standpipe is 1.5 inches diameter and only 20" above the trap.

Here's a pic if it helps
http://i575.photobucket.com/albums/s...t/902AB441.jpg

There is a cabinet 24" above the top of the pipe so extending it is possible. Any suggestions short of buying a new house (wife's suggestion) would be appreciated.

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I believe my problem might be that the standpipe is 1.5 inches diameter and only 20" above the trap.

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And you'd be correct. Sadly , unless you want to tear up stuff and increase the size of the pipe there isn't anything to increase the trap and under floor pipes. But we can add a coupling and a piece of PVC to make the stand pipe at least 36" from the trap. to the standpipe.
However, because todays washers have more powerful pumps and discharge with great volicity and volume you may still have back ups.
I have a older home with the same washer setup as you. When my new washer began to back up I Installed a 1 1/2" PVC compression adapter on the end of the stand pipe and made it a closed system forcing the discharge down the drain. Duct tape works also. This won't hurt the washer and you'll be back up free. It's been three years without a backup for me. This is a cheap fix that should bring a smile back to your wife's face. Good luck, Tom

Thanks Speedball

That sounds like a cheap and easy fix. I think I'll try it. Should I be concerned about siphoning if there is no air gap?

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Should I be concerned about siphoning if there is no air gap?

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Not if you make the stand pipe higher then the flood rim of the washer. There are a few things that we have recommended in the past that we have never got a complaint on. One is a high loop air gap for a dishwasher and the other is closing off the washer stand pipe to make a closed system. Cheers, Tom PS. Is your wife smiling yet?

Hopefully I can rig this up tonight after work and get her smiling again. She's still a little miffed about the "Merry Christmas" joke. I'm afraid that's going to cost me. If it doen't work I'll be back to pick your brain again. Thanks again!

As I've stated. Duct Tape works also. I Duct Taped mine years ago and no backups as yet. Tom

In all the years that we'v recommended We have never had a complaint that it didn't work.
Good luck, Tom

I have called a few plumbers who wanted to do everything from run cameras down my pipes to completely replacing my drain lines.I finally gave up trying to fix this with chewing gum and duct tape and ordered a GVII valve from Jirasek systems. It came yesterday and I installed it last night in about five minutes. That thing works like a champ. No leaks at all!

Great! You did exactly as I suggested and made it a closed system. Glade you're all fixed up. Tom